Who would have thought that little Muzza would be so vain as to have a dot.com website of his own? Clearly all that fire and brimstone and thundering from the pulpit is now to be disregarded, apparently it’s ok to be vain, to pursue education. Golly gosh. Trouble is the guff on each page still reads like a ‘mystery’ and a ‘secret teaching’. Yawn. Clearly the author is experiencing no lack of confidence. What’s that river in Egypt called?

And the other giveaway is that it’s a ‘DOUG WATT WEBSITES’, and the author lives in Groucho Place.

As Groucho Marx said, I’d never want to join a club that would accept me as a member.

Sort of sums up my view.

Bagel

PS Kudos to the web designer, nice stuff although if you follow the links it actually appears to be a one-off. Maybe one of those sites where you choose a template and fill in the gaps.

PPS Do you think little Muzza had to get approval to enrol in a higher degree? Did some minion give this the tick? Or are we talking permanent shunning? Or?

I was very surprised to find that web site? The Doug Watt Websites was definitely a give away. Seems MW is over his breakdown -- though having read his garbled warblings about his learners and curriculum and whatever where it sounded like he was trying to give the impression that he has been at this TESOL game for years - he is still strangling the English language similar to his Unto Perfection style.

I guess we all have to reinvent ourselves in some way after losing a long term job but to maintain the arrogance? Not just denial but delusion.

Good observations. Yes, think it appears that the great ego has suffered very little, if at all. It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest though.

And yes, the presumption and the sudden ownership of high and mighty skills is a learned response and a giveaway of emotional immaturity by and large perhaps?

Nonetheless I did have to giggle at the faux profundity of someone brushing up on their highschool German and then travelling there only to discover that they were unable to converse with nuanced skill. Hello!?

While I would never disparage a fellow educator, it’s nonetheless a tad galling to me as someone who has taught and worked at numbers of tertiary institutions that some people are big on marketing their schtick, especially as I have taught students who simply use teaching English as a second language as a quick and easy pathway to getting a foot in the door in Asian or European countries.

I also was curious about the address in Groucho Place. That is not a cheap address. It would indicate some substantial coin was retained from swamp city living. Searches on Domain etc do not reveal any sales of property in that immediate vicinity. Friends who live nearby tell me that it is a hub for aggressive Christian outreach, albeit one that has dropped off the radar after some unhappiness, but that is only hearsay. The Whitepages has two listings of phone numbers for MW, one being there, and one at a more low brow complex in the same suburb. The less salubrious dwelling was sold last September for a modest amount. This makes more sense. Guest/tenant in the lux house at first until the modest dwelling could be found perhaps? Glad to be corrected on this guess/assumption. Those who know may want to share? C’mon, you know you want to!

Hi Bagel
While you might not disparage a fellow educator I have no such qualms - especially one who is no more than a fly by night swanning in as though he has been actively involved for years. We all know where he has been and it certainly bears no resemblance to anything tertiary or educational! As you say, those of us who have been slaving in hot classrooms for years wouldn't bother with such nonsense - it's preferable to just get on with the job of teaching and leave the marketing to someone else.

Delusional - yes. He always was. I still have a vivid recollection of a planned concert to be given by his band - this was when BCF was at Enoggera last century - whose name escapes me - something family? Or maybe that was another group? Anyway invitations were given, advertisements had been placed, all was ready and with about an hour to go as we were setting up the hall the great man sent an message to his then girlfriend Kate to say he had decided to not perform because it didn't feel right and It wasn't the right time ... And God had told him this. Of course. And then there were the times when he'd come to Melbourne CF before it was called that and would take over - literally- the music and totally destroy any freedom, any moving of the Spirit that was there once upon a time (yep seems like a fairy story now!) by his incessant pounding of the keys and monotone instructions mingled with his dreadful nonsensical choruses. Who can ever forget Undies, Undies, Undies are mighty things ... ?

I still have a vivid recollection of a planned concert to be given by his band - this was when BCF was at Enoggera last century - whose name escapes me - something family? Or maybe that was another group? Anyway invitations were given, advertisements had been placed, all was ready and with about an hour to go as we were setting up the hall the great man sent an message to his then girlfriend Kate to say he had decided to not perform because it didn't feel right and It wasn't the right time ... And God had told him this. Of course. And then there were the times when he'd come to Melbourne CF before it was called that and would take over - literally- the music and totally destroy any freedom, any moving of the Spirit that was there once upon a time (yep seems like a fairy story now!) by his incessant pounding of the keys and monotone instructions mingled with his dreadful nonsensical choruses. Who can ever forget Undies, Undies, Undies are mighty things ... ?

Wendy, what great recollections. Did he really do that!? It sounds like a parody to us now, but I guess they really were drinking the koolaid well and truly. It’s all a bit twee isn’t it, what with ‘sending a message’ to the handmaiden etc. Should Netflix make a movie about it do you think? Are we talking great moments in the history of the Christian faith? Maybe a snappy title like ‘Corny choruses cancelled by craving catharsis’, or ‘small bearded pianist puts tiny foot down with a firm hand, show’s over baby!’. Kate, take a memo; return all the iced vovos, put the cordial lids back on, get me a cup of tea and a Bex, I need a lie down.

As to taking over in MCF I can certainly remember the flutter in the dove cage when the Brizzy Boyz would swing in and show them southerners how it was done. But didn’t they (Bris) have a good drummer? Some American guy? I can recall some talent there, Andrew? Something? Was their band called Sunset or similar?

Now you have to tell us about ‘Undies, undies, undies’. I clearly blanked that out and it sounds too good to not to be reminded.

Yes, it was all so pathetic. It was all about always being judged. So everyone had to put on a show. There was no risk taking. That's when the Spirit left because only the natural performers could play a role. Us plebs were too risky to have a role.

That song was Under, Under, Under His Mighty Wings and was a catchy Sunday School song really by my traitor-friend Murray.

To the unititiated observer: we are all venting our frustration at 25 years of yuk. 25 years of disgusting 'safety' that gagged 95% of the congregation who weren't prepared to pretend that the only thing on their heart every time was the 'current word'.

It was nauseating to not be able to prophecy or preach the gospel in its fullness unless it was Vic's selected bastardisation of the month.

I was gagged for 25 years and am still struggling to come to terms with the waste. All along it felt like they were nasty idiots and they were nasty idiots. And we did nothing about it. Dear Lord help me accept this injustice without going nuts. I hope some of you MCFers can understand WHY we are so frustrated and crushed despite being out of it now. There hasn't really been a closure. No one wants to hear about how horrible it was to watch natural performer-types and suck-uppers regurgitate the same stuff for years at a time every week for 25 years.